Magnolia Makeover: Four Takeaways from the Copp House

Last week, Fixer Upper had a special episode where Chip and Joanna teamed up with the Tim Tebow Foundation to design a handicap-accessible home for a special family. Joanna says her favorite space was the bedroom she designed for the two boys.

“The goal was to give Calan and Lawson the freedom they need to play, have fun, and live life independently in rooms that have a practical, yet inspiring design that they won’t outgrow,” she writes in her blog. “Making the entire home wheelchair-accessible for the boys was the number one priority for this home, but it was especially important in their own bedrooms.”

While you might not need to have a home that’s accessible, you can definitely get some inspiration for designing a bedroom for boys. Here are four takeaways:

Be Kid-Friendly. Offer your child a sense of independence by having toys and books stored were they’re easy to access without needing to ask for help. Using wall anchors, Joanna drilled bookshelves and baskets into the walls lower than normal. “It makes playtime more fun when they’re able to pull out (and pick up) their toys without help,” she writes.

Keep An Eye on the Future. When designing a child’s room, it’s tempting to go all in on a theme they love right now, but kids grow up fast and their interests change. “I can’t tell you how many times Emmie and Ella have wanted a princess room—only to want something completely different a year later. I found that the key is to make the base of the room a design that they can grow into, and then add in easy-to-update elements that fit their age,” Joanna writes. For the Copp boys, she chose a beautiful deep blue, then added age-appropriate details like the Lego bins and dinosaur wall art that can be easily changed out.

Add Personal Touches. Joanna loves incorporating quotes in all of the homes she designs—it’s definitely one of her signature design elements—and it can be extra special in a child’s bedroom. She wanted the space to feel like home, and one way was to have their names over their beds. She also added a saying in the bathroom. “[The Copps] regularly use the encouragement ‘I can and I will,’ so adding it to the wall just felt like the perfect finishing touch. Incorporating little personal details, like this one, are what make a house feel like home,” she writes.

Be Creative With Storage. Kids need lots of storage, and you can incorporate it into the design of the room by thinking outside the box—literally! Joanna chose vintage lockers that Chip built into the walls for storage rather than classic cabinetry. “One of the hardest things about any kids’ space is keeping it somewhat clean and organized while still allowing them to be a kid. This is an interesting way to fit both organization and fun into one space,” Joanna writes.